Treatment of fabrics



Dec. 2, 1930. G. ELLIS ET AL 1,783,508

' TREATMENT OF FABRICS Filed March 15, 1928 F 1 rl 5 5 CELLULOSE ACETATE PILE ABEFORE TREATMENT) BACKING, OF UNAFFECTED 4 MATERlAL CELLULOSE ACETATE PILLE'WITH SOF'TENED LOOPS READY FOR'REMOVAL v 650E615 HELL/5 v HENRY C-OLP/N ERIC 5- WflL/(EE INVENTORS filaments of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivative but which is inert with re- Patented Dec,

' rics, such -p1le or face comprising artificial filaments UNITED STATESiP ATl-I NT oar-Ice GE RGE nonmxivn anus, nanny cnmns 0min, AND nnrcna'ron wanxnn, or

.SPONDOH, NEAR DERBY, ENGLAND, ASBIGNOBS TO iAIEBICA, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE I QELANESE CORPORATION OF rm'rmnn'r or names A Application filed March 15,1928, Serial No'.282,b83, and in Great Britain September 12, 1927,

This invention relates to the production of ornamental or other eife' ts on pile fabs velvets or p ushes, having a of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivative, either alone or in conjunction with other artificial filaments or natural fibres, and having aback or ground of cotton, wool, natural silk or other fibres or artificial filaments not composed of a cellulose derivative.

The effects are produced by removing the pile either wholly or in part from selected portions of the fabrics.

In the accompanying drawin in-which like reference numerals refer to similar parts Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a cellulose acetate pile fabric before treatment I Figure 2 is a similar view showing the appearance of the loops of the cellulose acetate material after treatment of the same with solvent. 1 I

, In the drawings 3 represents the warp and 4 the weft of the backing of a pile fabric. This backing is madewith yarns or fibres other than organic derivatives of cellulose such as cotton, wool, silk, regenerated cellulose and the likein fact any material toward which the particular reagent employed is inert. 5 represents the pile of the fabric associated with the backing fabric, which pile may consist wholly ofan organic derivative ,of cellulose such as cellulose acetate or of an prganic derivative of cellulose mixed with yarns .or fibres of other description. The pile is fastened or anchored to the backing by means of the loops 6.

According to this invention, a substance which has a solvent or swelling action on the spect to the other filaments or fibres. comprised in the fabric, is applied to selected portions of the back of the pile fabric so as I to soften and weaken the loops by which the pile filaments; of the cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivative are anchored to the back, and then, when-the loops are in a softened and-weakened state,the pile filaments of cellulose ac etateor other cellulose of a pile derivative vare removed mechanically from the treated portions of the face of the fabric, for instance, by plucking, brushing, carding or suction.

Any substance which, by virtue of its power of forming a liquid or solid solution with the cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivative, weakens the lpops composed of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivative sufiiciently to enable the mechanical removal of the corresponding pile, without damage to the backor other portions of the fabric which are not-composed of a cellulose derivative, may be emploved, i

As examples of such solvents or solutes, especially applicable for cellulose acetate, the following organic liqpids mav be mentioned: lactic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, acetone, tetrachlorethane, chloroform, ethyl aetate, phenol. and aniline.

The solvents or swelling agents may be used in admixture with each other, or diluted with liquids having little orno solvent or swelling action on-the cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivative. Solutions of phenol in alcohol or benzol have proved to be particularl advantageous in-the treatment abric having a pile of cellulose acetate filaments.

' Running of the agent used for weakening the loops, with accompanying loss of sharpness in the outline of the pattern, may be prevented by using a weakening agent of high viscosity, or treating the fabric while it is in a sized'condition, or adding to the weakening agent one or more of the following: organic thickening agents, such asdextrine or glue, and inert powders, such as kaolin or barium sulphate.

The weakening agent or preparation containing the same-may be applied to the back of the fabric by any appropriate means, for

tion of the weakening agent.

' should be taken to prevent undue evapora- The fabric may be dyed before or after the treatment constituting the present invention. When contrasting colors are applied to the different fibres or filaments, the dyeing may be effected partly before and partly after the formation'of the pattern or effects, or a dye for the material of which the back is composed may be incorporated with the weakening agent. Moreover, when a fabric having a mixed pile is used it is possible, by the application of dyestuffs giving contrasting colors, to produce, as the result of the local removal of the pile of cellulose acetate or cellulose derivative filaments, a two color pile effect.

The invention will bedescribedin further detail with special reference to the treatment of a plush fabric having a cotton back and a cellulose acetate pile. It will be understood, however, that the invention ma be applied to the treatment of other pile fa rics of the kind previously indicated, and moreover is not limited to the use of the particular a cuts or conditions hereinafter mentione Example I A mixture containing- 10 parts by weight of phenol 10 parts by weight of alcohol 20 parts by weight of kaolin is stencilled on the back of the fabric in sufficient quantity to soften and weaken the loops without damaging the pile, and the pile is removed from the affected parts by brushing or plucking while the material is still damp.

E'acampZe II A A mixture containing 10 parts by weight of phenol 10 parts by weight of alcohol is sprayed through a stencil on to the back of the fabric, and the pile is brushed or plucked out fromthe affected portions as described in Example I,

Emample Ill 10 parts by weight of water containing a direct cotton color.

After removing the pile from the affected parts, a clear cut fi ured effect is produced with the cotton bac substantially dyed at the parts from which the pile has been removed. The fabric is then treated in an oven at 80 C. for two hours in order to fix the dyestufi and volatilize the phenol.

The term cellulose derivative is used herein as including cellulose acetate or other carboxylic acid esters of cellulose (e. g. cellulose formate, butyrate or p'ropionate) or other esters of cellulose (e. g. substituted thio-carbamic esters of cellulosegeor cellulose ethers (e. g. methyl, ethyl or nzyl cellulose) or the corresponding condensation products of cellulose and glycols or other polyhydric alcohols.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent-is:-

1. A process for treating pile fabrics having a pile comprising filaments of a cellulose derivative and a back of a material other than a cellulose derivative which comprises softening and weakening, in selected areas of the fabric, the loops of the pile filaments composed of the cellulose derivative, and afterwards mechanically removing the weakened pile filaments from the treated parts of the fabric while they are in a substantially undissolved state and in filament form.

2. A process for treating pile fabrics having a pile comprising filaments of cellulose acetate and a back of a material other than cellulose acetate, which comprises softening and weakening, in selected areas of the fabric, the loops of the pile filaments composed of the cellulose acetate, and afterwards mechanically removing the weakened pile filaments from the treated parts of the fabric while they are in a substantially undissolved state and in filament form.

3. A process for treating pile fabrics having a pile comprising filaments of cellulose acetate and a back of a material other than cellulose acetate, which comprises softening and weakening, in selected areas of the fabric, the loops of the pile filaments composed of the cellulose acetate, and afterwards removing the weakened pile filaments while they are in a substantially undissolved state and in a filament form from the treated parts of the fabric by brushing.

4. A process for treating pile fabrics having a pile comprisin filaments of cellulose acetate and a back ofa material other than cellulose acetate which com rises softening and weakening the loops of tfie pile filaments by applying to selected areas of the back of the fabric a solvent for the cellulose acetate, and afterwards mechanically removing the weakened pile filaments from the treated parts of the fabric. while they are in a substantially undissolved state and in filament form.

I 5. A process for treating pile fabrics having arpile comprisin filaments of cellulose acetate and a back 0 a material other than cellulose acetate, which comprises softening and weakening the loops of the pile filaments by applying to selected areas of the back of the fabric a solvent for the cellulose acetate, and a diluent for said solvent, and afterwards mechanically removing the weakened pile filaments from the treated parts of the ing acetate and a back o cellulose acetate, which comprises softening v and weakening the loops of t fabric while they are in a substantially undissolved state and in filamentfform.

6. A rocess for treatingfpile fabrics hav-v ing a p1le comprisin 'filaments of'cellulose acetate and a back of a material other than cellulose acetate, which comprises softening and weakening the loops of the pile filaments by applying a liquid comprising phenol to selected areas of the back of the fabric and afterwards mechanically removing the weakened pile filaments from the treated parts of the fabric while they are in a substantially undissolved state and in filament form.

7. A process for treating pile fabrics having a pile comprisin filaments of cellulose acetate and 'a back 0 a material other than cellulose acetate, which com rises softening and weakening the loopsof e'pile filaments by applying a liquid comprising phenol and alcohol to selected areas of the back of the fabric and afterwards mechanically removthe weakened pile filaments from the treated parts of the fabric while they are in a substantially undissolved state and in filament form.

8. A process ing a pile comprising filamfents of cellulose a material other than and weakening the loops of the pile filaments by afglying to selected areas of the back of the a ric a solvent for the cellulose acetate, and afterwards removing the weakened pile filaments while they are in a substantially undissolved state andin filament form from the treated parts'of the fabric by brushing.

9. A process for treating pile fabrics having a pile. comprising filaments of cellulose acetateand cellulose acetate, which comprises softening e pile filaments by applyinga liquid comprisingphenol and .alcohol to selected areas of the back of the fabric and afterwards. removing the weakened pile filaments while they are in a'substantially undissolved state and in filament form from the treated parts of the fabric by subscribed our names.

brushing.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto GEORGE HOLLAND Finals. HENRY CHARLES OLPIN. ERIC EATON WALKER.

fortreating pile fabrics hava back of a material other than 

